Is Sympathy Alone Rewarded, or Is an Intention for Allah Also Required?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Does a deed require a specific intention for Allah’s reward, or is feeling sympathy for others also rewarded?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
Allah (Most High) says,
“And they give food—despite their love for it—to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, (saying,) ‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah, seeking neither reward nor thanks from you.’” [Quran, 76:8-9]
A deed’s reward depends on its intention. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Actions are only by intentions, and each person will have only what he intended.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
For a deed to be fully rewarded in the Hereafter, it should be done sincerely for Allah’s sake. However, feeling genuine sympathy for others is a noble trait. It can still bring blessings and rewards, primarily since the sympathy of a believer is borne from their faith, even if not consciously intended for Allah.
To maximise the reward, one should renew the intention, for example, feeling sympathy out of love for Allah’s creation or helping others seeking Allah’s pleasure. This transforms an ordinary act into an act of worship.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.
